More than Words
by friend2friend1
Summary: a set of short one-shots maybe.. hope you like them .. continuing from the TSA interrogation room, that's all... :) so happy for them!
1. Chapter 1

The door slammed behind him, leaving a bleary-eyed Patrick Jane alone in a TSA interrogation room, nursing a bandaged ankle. The TSA medico had asked him one to ten how much pain was involved, and yet had failed to diagnose the most painful part of his anatomy, his bruised heart and mind.

One word echoed hollowly through his mind, 'GONE', and with each echo his heart throbbed ever more painful, and he pressed a forefinger against his mouth, determined to not break down and mourn his sudden loss.

It had not been enough, after all, and even as his mind played back her damning, sad words, he could see the truth of them, that even while insisting to himself this was the way his Teresa would want it played, he had still been hiding, afraid as always, of letting her in, taking a coward's way out when she deserved so much more.

There was nothing left for him to fight with, and yet his heart cried for her again, praying to God he might get a chance he didn't deserve. A mental image of Lisbon stepping off the plane into Marcus Pike's waiting arms slammed hard against him, bowing his shoulders in silent defeat.

The metallic click of the latch escaped him as being of significance, a dim part of his brain assuming it to be the livid face of his boss. None of it mattered, really.

He registered a flash of green confusedly , straightening slightly, as his eyes shifted sideways to confirm the individual's identity.

There was no way Agent Teresa Lisbon was sitting across the interrogation table from him, perhaps it was a dream his befuddled alcohol-hazy brain had concocted.

His dream Lisbon smiled calmly at him, and as in so many times before, seemed prepared to excuse his atrocious actions. It was frighteningly normal, and so he acted accordingly, all the while hoping dream Lisbon would notice his heart in his eyes.

Wonderingly, he asked her, "So you didn't go to DC?" Smooth, Jane, he thought as he got a negative reply from her.

Just when he was sure his dream Lisbon would leave him to his fate, a miracle happened.

"Did you mean what you said?" the words had been seemingly jerked from her, the mask slipping.

It suddenly dawned on him that redemption had given him the chance he had failed to take when he had reunited with the team who believed his faked death to be real. He wasn't about to let this one slip past him, taking refuge in ignorance as he had so cravenly done before.

"I meant what I said, every word of it." Then and now, erasing the lie once and for all.

The beating of his heart deafened him, as he waited, waited...

"I feel the same," how could it be that four gentle words could swell his throat shut, constricting his breathing,

The sobering thought of her fiance struck him dumb with pity, and even as he voiced his concern, his Teresa looked at him and spoke, he knew that she and Pike had somehow anticipated this outcome. He wished he was the better man, but in the end all that mattered was that he would not be losing her.

Lost in his thoughts, he repeated her words dumbly trying to make sense of it all, when BANG it hit him what he desperately had wanted to do since she sat down before him.

Almost as an afterthought, he slowly dragged his foot off the metal chair, while rising steadily to his feet. He braced his hand firmly on the table, stretching almost full length over it. One focused thought drove him, and when their lips met, he willingly and finally surrendered to her.

Maybe he had thought her too naive and fragile like his wife, that even with his most diligent and careful watch, Red John would take her away from him in the most heinous and vile way possible, devastating even the most hardened agent. That he knew would've killed him, and so fear had become a silent ghost between them, his charades and banter becoming the wall that protected her he believed.

A thump on the window penetrated their private world, and drawing back, her hand caressed his cheek, their eyes locking in silent mischievous joy. She leaned in again, only to pull back with the opening of the door.

Without breaking eye contact and with no apparent embarrassment, Jane called out,

"Hey, Dennis," as he reluctantly pushed himself upright and back onto his chair.

Supervisory Agent Dennis Abbott looked at Jane reprimanding him with a glare, but he could see nothing could dim the light in Jane's eyes. Sighing heavily, he took a seat beside Jane, and looked seriously at Agent Lisbon. It was impossible to get her attention, as she and Jane continued their silent communication, their hands reaching across the table, grasping in solidarity.

"You'll be happy to know that all the individuals in your hotel room survived, no thanks to you, Patrick," he reproved Jane.

With an earnestness he had yet to witness in the man, Patrick Jane turned his attention toward him.

"Now, Patrick," Teresa interrupted him before he even began to speak, covering the hand she held, 'let me straighten this out."

"No, Teresa," looking her squarely in the eyes, "whatever Dennis and the TSA decide, I won't talk my way out, or let you take any fall for it. That's simply not an option anymore."

"Well, as it happens they've run the business partners through the computer, and for once, you may not have to resort to that."

"What do you mean?" Patrick asked suspiciously.

"I mean that not only do we have charges pending, the Miami State Police have them in their files, grand larceny and embezzlement over for starters. You may get a commendation instead of a summons, if we're a little lucky. Fischer and her associates are also pushing for Murder One on our behalf. The murder was to keep the woman from reporting their criminal activities."

"So Patrick can go now?" Lisbon asked hopefully.

"Yes, but he may be subpoenaed to testify at some later date."

The TSA Agent was surly but professional as he opened the door and stepped aside.

With a grateful look, Patrick left the room, grasping Lisbon's hand as he limped into the corridor. It took time to process his release, and throughout he remained calmly introspective.

Once outside the TSA security building, the three climbed into the FBI van. Before starting the vehicle, Abbott turned to look at Jane,

" I know what you're thinking, Dennis, and you're right. I apologize for lying to you, and for setting you all up this way," Jane looked away, swallowing, "it won't happen again."

The trio headed out, bound for the airport, regrouping with the team before heading home. Jane wistfully glanced through the windows down at the serene azure below him.

Distracting his train of thought, Teresa spoke up, "Do you think this is the same airplane?"

Patrick looked sheepish, "The same?..."

"The one you basically stormed," she teased bashfully.

"Umm... I suppose it could be. Why?"

"Doesn't matter, I'll never fly again without seeing you come down that aisle so distraught, it was adorable,"

"Not to those TSA guys it wasn't, and I think the guy beside you was disappointed."

"No, he wasn't"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure he was, he liked you."

"Jane,"

"Yes, Teresa?"

"I love you too."

"I know."

set after Blue Bird, my silly imaginings... hope you liked it...


	2. Chapter 2

I got some nice reviews... they were truly touching ;) thanks!

hope you like what else I thought might have happened after Blue Bird

no way am I Bruno Heller, or any of the lovely Mentalist writers, just so we clear that up...

* * *

"So what did Marcus say when you called him?"

Lisbon turned her head, for up until now Patrick had been pillowed on his jacket beside her, seemingly asleep. For a long while, she had stared at him, her mind struggling to process the unexpected turn of events. If she were honest, she would admit to feeling, even now, a little insecure about it all, and she had been relieved when he appeared to drop off into a fitful, but apparently genuine doze.

It gave her time to think about things, including the conversation she had had with her erstwhile ex-fiance while she waited to board the plane back to Austin. Now she met Jane's familiar crinkled gaze, seeing the slight worry lines in his brow, and the compassion in his look.

"It was pretty hard to tell him about... this," sighing slightly, her brows creasing.

Patrick Jane had a pretty good idea how even the most decent guy might be feeling. Whether he was aware of it consciously, Marcus Pike had tried to take the woman that he cared a great deal for away from anything and anyone that might get in the way of his relationship with her. The guy was insecure, hoping that by laying his cards out on the table would be enough to gain Teresa's enduring trust and loyalty.

Teresa had within hours accepted the man's proposal, and then abruptly and without warning, calling the whole relationship off. He knew how he'd be feeling about that, the man had his sympathies, but thankfully not Teresa's hand in marriage.

Speaking of hands, specifically fingers, his own ring finger with Angela's ring on it caught his attention. Perhaps his own reluctance to remove the ring was in some small measure responsible for the niggling worries he sensed in the petite brunette. He looked at it, then looked up to find her questioning gaze on him.

Taking a deep breath, he gently grasped the shiny gold object, giving it a determined tug. Once it was off and he was holding it between his fingers, he looked at Teresa sadly smiling, but a little at a loss.

She slowly reached to the clasp of her simple chain, removing it while she spoke, "We can get you a chain to wear it once we're home. For now, let me wear it." Gratefully, he handed it to her.

He waited until she had returned her mother's cross to it's place around her neck, and then he took her hand in his, grasping it gently. They remained that way until the plane had taxied to a stop.

The FBI consultant hobbled slightly as they exited the plane and found their way into the terminal. Cho and Abbott made their departure, indicating that they'd see them back at headquarters. Together they grabbed their bags.

"Well?" Lisbon queried, looking around as they headed for the doors, and then back at Jane.

"Maye we find some place quiet where we can talk, possibly eat. Are you hungry?"

"You have a bad ankle, I think you should get it checked. Or at least you shouldn't be on it."

After debating back and forth, they decided to go to Lisbon's place, picking up food on the way. Within minutes, Patrick was sitting on Teresa's sofa, while she dished out the cannelloni onto plates. She had placed glasses and a wine bottle on the coffee table, leaving Jane to deal with pouring the wine.

"You're making tea, aren't you?' he called in the direction of the kitchen.

"Who drinks tea with cannelloni? But yes, I do have a kettle on."

Bringing the plates into the living room, she set them carefully down, arranging them, along with forks and napkins on the table before seating herself beside Patrick.

He glanced over at her, before reaching over to place a hand on her upper thigh, leaning gently back against the cushions.

"I'm not really hungry, you know," he spoke softly, "I just wanted to be with you, and I knew you didn't get any dinner in Florida."

She ate steadily for a while, getting up to make him a cup of tea when the kettle boiled. She didn't keep much tea around, something that would obviously have to change.

He gratefully accepted the cup she handed him, and settled happily back, stretching his bandaged ankle before him. She watched him curiously, not quite knowing how to proceed from here with him.

Her phone went off, and Jane stiffened in response. Glancing at it, she put it down when she realized who it was from.

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

She shook her head in denial, and Jane looked at her surprised. The phone continued to ring.

"Teresa, can I speak to Marcus?"

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Trust me. We have nothing to hide, " She raising her eyebrows at him, shrugged her ambivalence, "no funny business, though, he's upset, and put it on speaker phone I want to hear" she warned.

Taking the phone, "Hello, Marcus."

Lisbon held her breath, thinking how badly this could go.

"Jane, is that you?"

"Yes, it is, Marcus."

"Is Teresa there, can I talk to her," it wasn't a question.

"She's here, but she didn't want to answer her phone, so I did."

A short pause as he appeared to think, "She's on speaker phone, isn't she?"

"Yes, I am, Marcus," Teresa spoke up, determined to be honest.

"Take me off speaker phone, and let me speak to you alone, Teresa. Jane made his point."

"All right, Marcus," she sighed, taking the phone from Jane. A push of a button, and his voice sounded through the receiver again,

"Are you, there?"

"What is it, Marcus?"

"What happened in Florida, Teresa? Why did you change your mind about coming to DC? You never answered me."

She looked at Jane, who shrugged sympathetically.

"I was boarding a plane at the time. All I can say is I'm sorry I involved you in this, Marcus. You didn't deserve this. It wasn't fair of me to use you the way I did, it was wrong."

"You're making a mistake, Teresa. Patrick Jane is the one who doesn't deserve you, don't kid yourself, we all know what kind of person he is."

Looking at Patrick, she could see the worry in his face, and she spoke more sharply to Marcus than she intended,

"I don't think you know Jane or I well enough, to be so sure of who each other deserves. I hope you can find someone else, Marcus, I really do. I have to go now."

Hanging up, she looked at Jane who looked all the more hangdog.

"He's right you know, you should be with him."

"I'm exactly where I want to be," she informed him feistily, shifting to face him more.

There was no way that words were enough at that moment, so Patrick reached out and stroked her hair and neck, sliding the hand behind her neck, and gently tugging on it to bring her nearer to him. His eyes gazed at her, the memories showing, as he looked at her.

"I was such a coward, but I never meant to hurt you, Teresa. I thought I was doing what was best for both of us, even when we were apart."

"And now?" her eyes calmly searching his, seeing again the moisture pooling in his eyes.

"Right or wrong, good or bad, I can't give you up to anyone, not even to a man 10 times better than I'll ever be," his voice cracking in his distress.

"What more could a girl ask for?" she smiled, shifting so she sat snuggled up into his side, and pillowing her head on his chest as she yawned, the good food and wine, and the emotional day taking its toll on her.

Patrick slid his arm around her shoulder, tucking her in against him, talking in a soft lull, the monotone helping her drift off to sleep. He pulled a coverlet that lay folded on the end of the couch around them, before drifting off himself.


	3. Chapter 3

AGAIN I GOT SOME VERY LOVELY COMMENTS... I hope you'll be pleased with this next installment. I will possibly be trying for another chapter, but my husband's mother has passed, and it may interrupt my writing for a while... it was a peaceful end to a long vibrant life... sighs...

hope you like what else I thought might have happened after Blue Bird

no way am I Bruno Heller, or any of the lovely Mentalist writers, just so we clear that up...

* * *

Chapter 3

It wasn't that Special Advisory Agent Abbott was unsympathetic to Patrick Jane's situation, and it would take a less savvy bureaucrat to understand the asset he was in giving the Bureau a improved public perception. Every high profile case he solved made it easy to make allowances for the man's loose cannon ways of going about things.

But even so, DC was still unreconciled to Patrick's personal vendetta-ending-in-the-murder of Red John, known known officially as Sheriff McAllister though, and any anomalies on his part could lead to a revoking of his privileges and land him back in jail. Abbott was willing to take a little heat from the top, but he would be of no help to Jane if he himself landed in hot water.

Which it appeared he might be in, judging by the fact he had been asked to present himself in his superior' office, with the advisory that a DC liaison wished to speak to him.

To walk into the office and find a newly promoted Marcus Pike was a bit of a shock, and knowing what he knew it boded badly for one Patrick Jane.

* * *

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Patrick Jane came awake to find Teresa sitting on the edge of the couch on which he had somehow stretched out full length on. In her hand she held a cup of tea.

"Hey," he smiled sleepily, "what time is it?"

"It's a little early, gives us plenty of time together before work."

As he propped himself up, stretching, he reached an arm out, gathering her nearer to him, so that she now rested against him slightly. He took the cup from her and set it on the nearby table.

They stared at each other, each finding the present state of just being amazingly comfortable.

"Too bad we have to go to work," Jane commented lazily.

"Nice to know some things haven't changed," the FBI agent replied drily.

The mentalist's answer was to gently tug her towards himself, which prompted her to lean in and kiss him lengthily.

"Nice to know some things have," was his husky rejoinder when they came up for air.

It was clear it was not the time for a lengthy romantic interlude, so reluctantly Teresa sat up, her hand lingering on Patrick's chest, as he lazily toyed with her hair.

"Can't help but wonder what the office will think of all this," she mused thoughtfully.

Jane knew what else she meant that she wasn't saying, so he looked squarely at her, capturing her gaze.

"I have something to show you," and reaching into the pocket of his vest, he retracted a small origami figure.

"Is that...?" Lisbon queried disbelievingly, reaching to gently extract the object from Jane's grasp. In her hand now rested the small frog he had surprised her with the first case they had worked together. Turning it over, she stared down at it with a stunned look.

Patrick spoke softly, and she knew every word was true, for he was as serious as she had ever seen him,

"I kept him, I rescued him from your waste basket. I think I knew even then there was potential with us, and that's why I made you a frog, it was a promise that some day like the frog I might become a prince that could win his princess. Just like in the story my mother would tell me. I may not be there yet, but there's no one who deserves a happy ending than you, Teresa."

He captured her lips in a deep kiss, her hand reaching around his neck to pull him in closer. It was an intimate, passionate moment that ended too soon when the doorbell rang.

Wondering who it could be, Lisbon answered the door warily. Outside her door stood a delivery person, and after signing for it, she brought in a large florist's box.

Setting it down on the table, she opened it to reveal a dozen red roses. Staring at Jane bemusedly, who looked clueless, she reached to find the card and a note. She passed the card to Patrick who glanced quickly at the name. As he set the card aside, he picked up his cup of tea.

'Our friend, Pike, it appears, is not quite convinced it's over," he commented, watching Lisbon read the note that had come with the flowers. She had a bit of a smile to her face, for how could any woman seriously resist roses?

"Are you going to read that aloud?"

"He says that he doesn't believe we're through. He says you're not good enough for me, and that you'll only hurt me.

"An opening gambit.. I didn't think he had that in him," Patrick mused. Taking another sip of tea and looking over it at Lisbon, "I can't say that I'm surprised or that I blame him. Is there more?"

"He says he's coming back here, and that he'll stay until he convinces me to go with him." Teresa looked up a little flustered at Jane.

Putting the cup aside, Patrick Jane stood up, looking very much the lover and friend Lisbon had dreamt about. Stepping in front of her chair, he pulled Lisbon to her feet.

"If he can take you away from me, then he is the better man, plain and simple," he stated matter-of-factly.

Knowing Jane the way she did, she looked at him suspiciously, "And your part in this?"

He sighed, looking at the flowers on the table, "All I can tell you is that if I, even once, go back to playing games with you, then you have every right to walk out on me and to marry Marcus Pike."

She impetuously reached out, and embraced him thoroughly, and he buried his head in her shoulder, pulling her flush against him for a long, long moment before pulling away from her. Spinning her about, he gave her a push toward her bedroom.

"Time's a'wasting, my love," he commented as he reached over to pick up the florist's box. Part of him wanted to drop them in the garbage can, but resisting the petulant action, he searched for a vase, placing the flowers in water and leaving them on the counter.

Before long, they were in Lisbon's car and on their way to the office with a stop at Jane's Airstream for fresh clothes.


	4. Chapter 4

AGAIN I GOT SOME VERY LOVELY COMMENTS... I hope you'll be pleased with this next installment. I will possibly be trying for another chapter, but my husband's mother has passed, and it may interrupt my writing for a while... it was a peaceful end to a long vibrant life... sighs...

hope you like what else I thought might have happened after Blue Bird

no way am I Bruno Heller, or any of the lovely Mentalist writers, just so we clear that up...

Chapter 4

Kimball Cho sat down beside Jason Wyllie, plunking a coffee beside him on the desktop. Wyllie was busy with setting up a proxy server for an ongoing case.

Wyllie looked over at Cho, "So the Florida case was a little unorthodox, I hear. The grapevine is full of rumours, I heard Lisbon isn't leaving for DC?"

Cho looked inscrutably at Wyllie, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you" shaking his head, he picked up some paperwork and started doing some catch up work.

Kim came in briskly, nodding to the two as she sat down at her desk. Wyllie asked her,

"So any scuttlebutt on the Florida case you care to share?"

Kim shook her head, "I hate to say it, but this one could be a whole big mess for Jane. If DC has anything to say about it that is, which they probably will given the Red John thing."

Abbott walked in, and as he passed by Cho's desk, he told him,

"If you see Jane, send him into my office, Lisbon too."

It appeared the morning was to be more routine at first with no new cases coming in, so the team relaxed and settled into just getting caught up on office work.

Every one's radar kicked into high gear when Lisbon and Jane walked into the office. Jane looked like he possibly could have won the lottery, while Lisbon seemed to be unsure where to look in the room.

"Hey, everyone," Patrick seemed his usual self perhaps softer than usual.

"Hey, Jane' Kim seemed to be the spokesperson for the group, "Abbot wanted to see you and Lisbon in his office, as soon as the two of you came in."

Unfazed by the request, the pair turned on their heels and headed for Abbot's office.

For a while, the group speculated on what Abbott wanted to see them about..

* * *

Jane was pretty sure what Dennis Abbott wanted to see them about, and also who else would be present in the office.

Nearing Abbott's office, he looked around hearing someone speak to him, not surprised at finding Agent Marcus Pike coming up behind him in the hall.

Together, the three of them entered Abbott's office, Agent Pike closing the door as they advanced into the room.

Abbott gestured for Lisbon and Jane to be seated, while Marcus ended up at the window with his back to the others.

The air was strained in the room, with Patrick fixing his gaze on Agent Pike's back. Lisbon looked calm but a little concerned at the proceedings.

Abbot cleared his throat while looking down at the paperwork before him. Jane's gaze narrowed on Pike, then transferred it to Abbott.

Lisbon was the first to break the silence, "Dennis, what's going on?"

Jane was finding it difficult to keep seated and silent, as his habitual method was launching an offense, taking advantage of most people's natural inertia when first faced with confrontation. One look at Teresa's face, though, and he knew the last thing she wanted was trouble between Marcus and himself.

Still, Marcus needed to know that if he had anything to say about, Teresa would not be leaving Austin, TX without him in tow, if she chose to go to DC that was fine, but not without him, not ever now.

Marcus turned to face them at Lisbon's words, a stern collected visage marking his demeanour. Jane stiffened slightly, willing himself to let Marcus say his peace,well, within reason.

He reached over and took a remote from Special Advisory Agent Abbot's desk, turning on the flat screen in the corner of the room. A recorded segment blared out, and as Patrick watched he recognized the TSA agent that had questioned him and kept him locked in the interrogation room all night.

"Security cameras caught on tape, an individual scaling a tarmac perimeter fence at Miami airport late Tuesday evening. The individual then proceeded to approach the passenger jet taxied nearby, eventually gaining access to it. The individual was taken into custody without incident..." the voice abruptly died away as Dennis removed the remote from Marcus, powering down the screen.

"I think that will do, Agent Pike' Dennis ponderously proclaimed.

Pike made a scornful sound, "Oh, I don't think so. This incident just proves that Patrick's lack of respect for FBI protocols and procedures will continue to bring the Bureau under undue scrutiny until we stop enabling him. DC agrees with me and has given me the task of dissolving any agreements between the two parties. "

Teresa Lisbon knew better than anyone Patrick Jane's potential for turning a situation to suit himself, and to provoke people into rash statements and decisions. The incident in Miami was text book Jane in many ways, and if he had not shown up on the plane with his heart on his sleeve, there was a good possibility that she would have flown to DC, turning her back on a man she had long hoped would work his way out of the tragedy of his past.

She glanced at Patrick, reading in his demeanour clearly an ongoing battle of whether to engage Marcus in a battle of wits and words or take a less offensive tact. For the most part he looked world-weary and drained, yet unwilling to take Marcus' criticism lying down.

"This isn't about the agreement between the FBI and Patrick and you know it, Marcus," she found herself unable to stay silent.

"Teresa, don't" Jane said, finally rising to his feet, directly facing Marcus. "Let Marcus think what he wants. Red John is gone, and I don't really care what the Bureau thinks, frankly."

"Exactly what I mean, Jane. Your vigilante mentality should never have been condoned by the Bureau in any way, shape of form. Teresa and Dennis have shown the same lack of professional conduct in their protection and thereby instigation of it."

Lisbon looked ready to protest, when Wyllie knocked briefly and then opened the door. "Sorry for the interruption but Austin County Sheriff's office wants to speak to Abbott."

"This isn't over," Lisbon glanced reproachfully at Pike as he spoke, the group quickly exiting Abbott's office, headed for the bull pen.

* * *

Whew... I'm thousand times SORRY for the slowness... contributing factos-personal family incidents, school, and just my struggle with the changed relationship dynamics in the characters.. you're all saints for hanging in there ... lovely souls all of you... and I'm sorry if I left it at a crappy place...


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